Early Grey Friday

Half an hour to myself before the family wakes to start their days.  It's overcast outside and rain is predicted for today, very handy as the garden needs a water.  I hung some washing anyway in hopes I can get it mostly dry before the downpour.  It's been really warm, up into the early 30s in some places but the nights have been mercifully cool so far.
We went to the mentoring morning tea at school yesterday which was really nice.  It was good to see the other kids who had been part of the programme, some were a surprise to me, and none had two heads or forked tongues or anything.  Just normal kids going through some stuff just like our own girl, and who were lucky enough to get a hand up from some great teachers at a great school.  We met the other mentors too, business people who care enough to take these kids into their workplace to show them the other side of responsibility and pride in working and achieving.  I love our school and we're not going anywhere.
I was thinking what a horrible year it's been this year, but I thought that last year too and I decided I wasn't just going to write 2010 off in general terms as a tough one.  There have been some bright notes.  For one, I finally woke up to myself and realised I had a drinking problem and DID something about it.  Once and for all.  That hasn't been easy, it still isn't in some ways but I'm doing it and doing well.  Emily is slowly maturing out of her emotional problems.  Last night she came out and tearfully asked if she could watch the tv in our room as there was a problem with the cord on her set.  I stood my ground, she is so destructive and breaks things all the time, and my room is my sanctuary.  I thought to myself "here we go, Phill's at work, time for a tantrum".  I just said "no and that's it, do your worst" and she retreated to her room and came out later dressed in her nightie, hair brushed as sweet as can be.  Later I saw her playing the Sims instead of watching tv.  I'll get Phill to check her tv when she goes to school.  Small win, that could have escalated as it has before but she pulled herself back, to her credit.  Josh is settling down at school really well.  The other day when I mentioned we may look for a bigger house after Christmas he was concerned that I meant we would leave town.  I took that to mean he doesn't want to change schools which is a huge step from them wanting to run away from their problems all the time.  So all in all, things are getting better and I've learned that just holding on and keeping on and never giving in is the way to go. 
My blogger friend Therese made a comment recently that "these ARE the good old days" and she's right.  Hard to see that sometimes when Emily is in full flight and Phill has his Mr Nasty Grumpy coat on, but that's all about how I deal with it and I'm learning there too.  Actually, with both of them, the trick is to take away the audience.  He started going on about something yesterday and I just went down the back and took the compost out and brought the bins in and pottered around and took my time coming back in.  Kind of diffused his performance and he pulled his head in.
I talked to the acting DP at school yesterday, what an ambitious young man he is, wouldn't be surprised if he's principal of some school sometime soon, about Em changing electives next year.  I was ready for a fight, even though Andrew had promised us earlier in the year that it would happen.  He said he'd go down to his office (after he had some cake!) and look at the numbers.  As we walked out of the school he came out and said there was one place left, she had it, but to keep it under our hats.  For what reason I don't know but I don't care, that problem is taken care of  and it will make her school life next year a lot happier.
Did I mention I love our school? ;)